1 . Field of the Invention
The invention relates to fire extinguishing devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device that directionally disburses an extinguishing agent through the use of an explosive charge.
2 . Background and Objects of the Invention
When a fire occurs, fire fighting individuals often find it necessary to enter or re-enter a building to search for persons that may still be within the building. It is a common occurrence for these individuals to be burned, possibly severely, or even to be killed, when such an attempt is made. Often, the fire fighting person or other individuals may need to enter a room or pass through a hallway (consumed with flames) when attempting to locate trapped individuals, or while attempting egress from a burning building. In such instances, it would be highly desirable to employ a device that may be set off (or detonated) to knock down or extinguish flames of the fire, even if for only a short period of time and even in a localized area.
A number of prior art devices are available in the art to provide temporary relief in the vicinity in which they are utilized. For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,139 to Kirk is one such device. The Kirk device provides a bomb that can be detonated within a fire. This device employs an `automatic heat triggered` detonation means, and therefore, requires a possibly random period of time before detonation may occur. Further, due to extreme heat, the device may false trigger at an inappropriate time. The Kirk device also includes a glass cylinder (to hold a volume of extinguishing agent) "that can be readily fragmented so as to disperse its chemical content in all directions". The use of this dispersal arrangement may prove to be hazardous to nearby persons when the device is detonated. A device with a safer and more directional disbursement would be useful.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,403 to Poland provides an explosive fire extinguisher that is designed to be dropped from an aircraft into fires such as forest fires. The device may be shock triggered on impact. Accordingly, this device and other bomb-like extinguishing devices, while suitable for the particular purposes intended, or for more general use, would not be suitable for the purposes contemplated for the present invention, as will be fully discussed below.
Objects of the present invention are, therefore, to provide new and improved detonatable fire extinguishing or fire reducing devices having one or more of the following capabilities, features, characteristics, and/or advantages:
self contained compact and simple design;
includes an internal cavity to hold and secure a volume of fire extinguishing agent;
reusable embodiments that may be reloaded, typically at a later time, and used over and over;
structured to directionally disburse the volume of the extinguishing agent in an upward somewhat substantially vertical direction wherein at least a portion thereof `showers down`upon the fire in the vicinity of the detonated fire extinguishing device;
the internal cavity frangibly capped to secure the extinguishing agent within the cavity until detonation occurs;
having a timer to enable a user to situate the device and move a safe distance away before detonation occurs;
may be embodied with a standard explosive charge, such as an M40 type explosive; and
very simple and economical construction;
The above listed objects, advantages, and associated novel features of the present invention, as well as others, will become more clear with a careful review of the description and FIGS. provided herein. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings and the associated description are illustrative only, and variations are certainly possible.